The Archive

Riot training

It seems that the commuters of Buenos Aires have expressed their dissatisfaction with rubbish service by going on a rampage of rioting and destruction.

I guess this is not wholly unheard of over there. The story includes the rather striking sentence

…the cancellation of a train service last September led to three train carriages being set alight.

Now I don’t know much about running a railway, but I’m pretty sure immolating the very carriages you’re hoping to get home on isn’t going to hurry things along.

Nevertheless, I can see how it happens…

Announcement over tannoy (or other brand PA system): mmmbbr mmbrrr bsskkmmn mbbbrrrr.Commuter 1: Did you get any of that?
Commuter 2: Yes. I speak fluent Tannoy. They said the 5.15 is cancelled.
Commuter 1: Oh bloody hell. That’s just typical. That really is the very limit.I’ve half a mind to do something.
Commuter 2: You’re quite right. How about we write a stern letter to the train operator, copying in the people who run the tracks and the separate company that does the rolling stock, and the other, entirely different company that does timetables and operates the doors? (they work a similar system to this country, you see).
Commuter 1: Hmm. A sternly worded letter could work. OR we could try ripping out seats and throwing them out of the window.
Commuter 2: I like it. And we can set things on fire.
(violence ensues)

Actually, a very similar thing happened to me the other day when I was late home from work.

Two trains were cancelled because of lack of drivers (must have been a big football match on or something). Hundreds of English commuters expressed their rage in the most violent way they knew how. Muttering and tutting broke out all over the station and I think we set a new world record for the mass rolling of eyes.

That’ll show ‘em.

posted by Peter The Great @ 11:49 AM